Toto Wolff explains Kimi Antonelli turnaround after 'tears' in Belgium 2025 to likely world championship coronation at Mexico City GP
Toto Wolff says "I don't know what happened over the winter" to Kimi Antonelli as the 20-year-old looks set to become world champion this Sunday; watch every session of the Mexico City GP from this Friday, live on Sky Sports F1
Thursday 29 October 2026 05:59, UK
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says it is "extremely satisfying" to see Kimi Antonelli's turnaround from last year as the Italian looks to secure the 2026 Formula 1 world title this weekend in Mexico.
A top nine in this Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix for Antonelli will ensure he becomes the sport's youngest world champion at 20 years old - breaking Sebastian Vettel's record by three years.
Antonelli joined Mercedes last year and struggled for the majority of his rookie season after a huge amount of excitement prior to his Formula 1 debut.
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Wolff recalls the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix as a particular low moment when Antonelli was in tears after being eliminated in Q1.
"The many people that said last year after nine races without points, he shouldn't be in a Mercedes," said Wolff.
"People in other teams that said, he shouldn't even be in Formula 1, the tears in Spa, in parc ferme. And all of that now is extremely satisfying to see what he's able to deliver, how he's working with the team, with Bono [Antonelli's engineer Peter Bonnington] and yielding the results. But it wasn't an easy road.
"So, I'm happy that, 99.9 per cent, he still needs to finish the race in Mexico. So, it's either going to be a big tequila party or if it's not a tequila party, then it's going to be Caipirinha the weekend afterwards."
Antonelli has won nine races this season and consistently had the upper hand on Mercedes team-mate George Russell throughout the year.
Wolff thinks the new 2026 cars, which provided a reset for the field, has benefitted Antonelli and is mystified how the Italian has hit back so strongly after last year.
"I think maybe it was to his benefit that the regulations were all new. When last year he came in and those cars existed, those cars existed for four years. The other drivers were used to it," he said.
"And all new for everyone this year. And he just made it stick with his easiness, with his mindset, with his easiness of approaching things.
"In Austin, he came to my office before getting ready, before getting dressed and just sat down on the sofa and said, 'I'm going to enjoy this one. And isn't it funny? I'm not thinking at all about the championship'.
"I said, 'well, exactly stick to that attitude. You have the best job in the world. Don't forget that.' So he has also the right mindset.
"It's been 30 or more years that I've tried to understand racing drivers' brains and I still don't know what has happened over the winter.
"His ability to process and deliver something that's outstanding, which we didn't see coming. But credit to him, credit to his engineers, to his environment, his family that he's delivered in that way."
Antonelli looking to win championship 'in style'
Antonelli's win last weekend in Austin was somewhat of a surprise after Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the previous two Formula 1 races.
Several F1 championships have been won without the champion finishing on the podium in that race, but Antonelli is keen to "finish on a high".
"The perfect way would be to finish off in style and enjoy the rest of the season," he told Sky Sports F1.
"I'm very well aware it's very close but the mindset hasn't changed. I want to finish the season on a high in order to have high hopes in 2027.
"First we focus and worry about finishing this [season] well and we will see."
Antonelli admits his success has been a "good surprise" but Mercedes have played a pivotal role in his quick development over the last 18 months.
"I'm very lucky because I have a very good group of people around me. In the team, I have my father, who always comes, then my performance coach," he said.
"I just have a great group of people around me that help me to be more relaxed and not worry about these kinds of things. They help me to block out the noise, and that's also what's been allowing me to enjoy the weekend and perform."
Sky Sports F1's live Mexico City GP Schedule
Thursday October 29
8pm: Drivers' Press Conference
11pm: Paddock Uncut
Friday October 30
6pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Practice One (session starts at 6.30pm)*
8pm: The F1 Show
9pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference
9.30pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Practice Two (session starts at 10pm)*
Saturday October 31
5.15pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 6.30pm)
8pm: Mexico City Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
9pm: MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
11pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday November 1
5pm: F1 Academy Race 3
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Mexico City GP build-up
8pm: THE MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP reaction
11pm: Ted's Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 next heads south for the second leg of The Americas triple header with the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime
